Open an OpenDocument Text file in Word

To see only the files saved in the OpenDocument format, click the list of file types next to the File name box, and then click OpenDocument Text.

Click the file you want to open, and then click Open.

Tip: To open the file, you can also double-click it after you find it.

Note: When you open an OpenDocument Text file in Word, it might not have the same formatting as it did in the original application it was created in. This is because of the differences between applications that use the OpenDocument Format.

Save a Word document in OpenDocument Text format

Important: If you want to keep a Word version of your file, you must first save the file as a Word document, for example, in .docx file format, and then save it again in the OpenDocument Text (.odt) format.

Click the File tab.

Click Save As.

Click Browse, and then select the location where you want to save your file.

Learn more about the OpenDocument Format

When you open or save documents in the OpenDocument Text (.odt) format, some formatting might be lost. This is because of the different features and options, such as formatting, that OpenDocument Text applications and Word support. For more information about the differences between the OpenDocument Text format and the Word format, see Differences between the OpenDocument Text (.odt) format and the Word (.docx) format.

Tips

Before sending a file to someone else, you might want to close the file and open it again to see what it looks like in OpenDocument Text (.odt) format.

When you collaborate on a document shared between Word and another word processing application, such as Google Docs or OpenOffice.org Writer, think of writing (the words) and formatting (the look) as different tasks. Complete as much of the writing as possible without applying formatting to the text and save the formatting until the end. This allows you to focus on the writing while minimizing the loss of formatting as you switch between the OpenDocument Text format and Word format.

Open an OpenDocument Text file in Word

Click Open, and then click the location of the file; for example, click Computer.

Click Browse,

To see only the files saved in the OpenDocument format, click the list of file types next to the File name box, and then click OpenDocument Text.

Click the file you want to open, and then click Open.

Tip: To open the file, you can also double-click it after you find it.

Note: When you open an OpenDocument Text file in Word, it might not have the same formatting as it did in the original application it was created in. This is because of the differences between applications that use the OpenDocument Format.

Save a Word document in OpenDocument Text format

Important: If you want to keep a Word version of your file, you must first save the file as a Word document, for example, in .docx file format, and then save it again in the OpenDocument Text (.odt) format.

Click the File tab.

Click Save As.

Click Browse, and then select the location where you want to save your file.

Learn more about the OpenDocument Format

When you open or save documents in the OpenDocument Text (.odt) format, some formatting might be lost. This is because of the different features and options, such as formatting, that OpenDocument Text applications and Word support. For more information about the differences between the OpenDocument Text format and the Word format, see Differences between the OpenDocument Text (.odt) format and the Word (.docx) format.

Tips

Before sending a file to someone else, you might want to close the file and open it again to see what it looks like in OpenDocument Text (.odt) format.

When you collaborate on a document shared between Word and another word processing application, such as Google Docs or OpenOffice.org Writer, think of writing (the words) and formatting (the look) as different tasks. Complete as much of the writing as possible without applying formatting to the text and save the formatting until the end. This allows you to focus on the writing while minimizing the loss of formatting as you switch between the OpenDocument Text format and Word format.

Open an OpenDocument Text file in Word

To see only the files saved in the OpenDocument format, in the File of type list, click OpenDocument Text.

Click the file you want to open, and then click Open.

Tip: To open the file, you can also double-click it after you find it.

Note: When you open an OpenDocument Text file in Word, it might not have the same formatting as it did in the original application it was created in. This is because of the differences between applications that use the OpenDocument Format.

Save a Word document in OpenDocument Text format

Important: If you want to keep a Word version of your file, you must first save the file as a Word document, for example, in .docx file format, and then save it again in the OpenDocument Text (.odt) format.

Learn more about the OpenDocument Format

When you open or save documents in the OpenDocument Text (.odt) format, some formatting might be lost. This is because of the different features and options, such as formatting, that OpenDocument Text applications and Word support. For more information about the differences between the OpenDocument Text format and the Word format, see Differences between the OpenDocument Text (.odt) format and the Word (.docx) format.

Tips

Before sending a file to someone else, you might want to close the file and open it again to see what it looks like in OpenDocument Text (.odt) format.

When you collaborate on a document shared between Word and another word processing application, such as Google Docs or OpenOffice.org Writer, think of writing (the words) and formatting (the look) as different tasks. Complete as much of the writing as possible without applying formatting to the text and save the formatting until the end. This allows you to focus on the writing while minimizing the loss of formatting as you switch between the OpenDocument Text format and Word format.

You must install 2007 Microsoft Office system Service Pack 2 (SP2) before you can use these procedures.

Open an OpenDocument Text file in Word

Click the Microsoft Office Button
, and then click Open.

In the File of type list, click OpenDocument Text.

Click the file you want to open, and then click Open.

Note: When you open a OpenDocument Text file in Word 2007, it might not have the same formatting as it did in the original application it was created in. This is because of the differences between applications that use the OpenDocument Format.

Save a Word document in OpenDocument Text format

Important: If you want to keep a Word version of your file, you must first save the file as a Word document, for example, in .docx file format, and then save it again in the OpenDocument Text (.odt) format.

Tips

Before sending a file to someone else, you might want to close the file and open it again to see what it looks like in OpenDocument Text (.odt) format.

When you collaborate on a document shared between Word and another word processing application, such as Google Docs or OpenOffice.org Writer, think of writing (the words) and formatting (the look) as different tasks. Complete as much of the writing as possible without applying formatting to the text and save the formatting until the end. This allows you to focus on the writing while minimizing the loss of formatting as you switch between the OpenDocument Text format and Word format.